Because the bait wasn't taken....

I shall now regale you with Halloween night pictures - mostly of the dog.


Here's one of our fancy pumpkins

We bought this cute costume at Old Navy for the doggie.
He didn't like it so much when we first put it on him.

The Hound of Hell

To make him feel better I dressed up too.

Me & Demon Dog

I reallly thought the socks were matching....

Pumpkin Girl

Joxer, being the Mighty Dog that he is finally got used to the idea of wearing a costume & struck a few poses.

The devil

Then he got crazy!

Demonic dog

I tried to post a couple of other pics but something odd happened so I'll leave you with these. And no we didn't get any ultrasound pictures because the technician said they wouldn't turn out good enough. Oh well. The ultrasound went very well & it turns out the oven is in excellent condition so we play the waiting game until we see the midwives on Thursday. There's lots of amniotic fluid, the placenta is looking good & it was moving around a lot again. She said it looked to be about 7.5 pounds, but from what I've read late ultrasounds are notorious for being off the mark on the weight estimates. I'm just glad she said it won't be a 10 pounder but I guess it'll be a November baby afterall.

Hope you all had a great Halloween.

The bait

Come on out you cheeky little monkey!

41+3

Weeks that is. It's Monday morning and I feel like crap but there's nothing trying to make it's way out yet. Nausea & heartburn are still here, I'm exhausted & had bizarre dreams about Niagra Falls, temporary death & the dog running across a busy highway. Not fun.

Anyway, that's it. I've got nothing else to say so you'll just have to wait for my ultrasound report or for me to post that contractions have started. Maybe we'll all be lucky & get both. That would be a Happy Halloween.

Halloween fun

So no bun report at the moment - we seem to be in a major holding pattern here so it looks like it's ultrasound day tomorrow unless something pops tonight. I actually woke up around 4 this morning in excrutiating pain but of course it turned out to be nothing except my stupid back. Probably because I was standing around in heels all night. I don't do heels. I am practical shoe girl to say the least so all the weight on my toes plus the exagerrated sway back I got going on most likely contributed to the shooting pain in my butt.

I needed the heels though for this....


Naughty

Party number 1 - Super Hero Party. I was Super Slutty Catholic School Girl & was accompanied by the Dirty Vicar Headmaster. The belly went over very well though some people needed extra convincing that it was actually real & not some super sci-fi movie plaster. Of course it got even better when I told them it was a week overdue. Geez she could blow any minute - batten down the hatches & don't let her on the carpet!

The party was so much fun & the costumes were hillarious (most too incriminating to post here) like Super Spring Girl, Ass Man, Wonder Bra & of Super Buns of Steel Girl who could crush you like a walnut between her butt cheeks. Of course Dirty Vicar had to get in on the action.


He's a very bad man

Naughty school girl had to get some action as well.....


Chancellor Bad Ass

Then it was on to party number 2 with birthday boy, aka New Hampshire Dude. I can't find the story about the NH man but found this surprisingly similar tale from Kentucky: Booby-trap backfires. It's a redneck kind of tale & Kanti does look familiar in a Unibomber sort of way, plus it was his birthday so I gave him a smooch anyway & one to lady pirate Nancy.


NH Dude

Anyway, another good par-tay with a band & a keg to boot. We even almost won us a costume contest though apparently some people thought I was Britney Spears. Now why the hell didn't I think of that?! I was looking at the wigs in the costume store thinking they could be fun & hey I always wanted to try being a blond but it just didn't occur to my hormone addled brain to think about "Whoops I did it again". I guess maybe that's a good thing.


Belly belly belly

Problems with power

We're still here. I slept in this morning & then went out for delicious brunch at the Manx with birthday boy Kanti & Nancy. After a few errands we came back home, I tried to get this post ready & poof - the power went out. Breakers were flipped, hydro was called & finally Calvin had to go to Home Depot for a new part. So that's why no updates until now people.

As for updating, well this won't be much of one. I thought I felt a few tightenings this morning at breakfast but now I think it was just the bun squirming in an odd position. I am now officially waddling according to my sweetie (thanks for letting me know dude - no really, I appreciate the jackass comments - I'm already feeling so attractive) and I think it's due to my back issues. I really can't stand or walk for any length of time so I've been getting lots of rest on my bed & couch for the past two days. I'll be glad when this is all over so I can move properly again. Crossing fingers & toes. Speaking of toes.... look what I managed to do.


Orange toes

Not bad for a 41+ week gestating lady if I do say so myself. Not a super fantastic job or very attractive feet at the moment, but hey I gotta give myself credit for at least being able to reach down there. I even did my fingernails too & the orange is rather festive. As for the other stuff to make me feel better I watched Miss Congeniality 2 (fun showgirl costume) & Fever Pitch (Drew Barrymore has great hair) & I've still got Robots to make my movie viewing complete. Then there was the cake.... good ol' Duncan Hines - I love you so.


mmmmm cake

Yes it's in the shape of a heart. They are the only set of pans I have that match in size so I use them for almost any cake I make. Guess I should go shopping & get some more since these are also from about 1980 - I just don't bake cake that often. Why? Because I'll eat it all if I get the chance. So far almost half of it is gone & I don't think Calvin has had one slice. Damn you Duncan Hines & your devilish box of chocolatey goodness!

Let's see, what else made me feel better? Calvin brought me home the prettiest flowers so I tried out the macro on our new camera. Lovely eh?


purty flower

So that's it I'm afraid. No sweet bun tasting for you people. I'm feeling patient again & know that things are normal & ok. If I felt otherwise I'd be calling the midwives or driving to the hospital so don'tcha all worry. Things will happen when they happen. I'm used to waiting for good things & besides, the dog is enjoying all the extra attention. Who knows how much he'll get afterwards? Tonight we're going to two Halloween parties (never thought I'd make it to any without a babe in my arms) because I'm determined to not sit around totally bored watching more crappy tv. Perhaps they'll do the trick & kick start the labour tonight. Perhaps not & I'll get a chance to post ultrasound pics on Monday. I'll have some good pictures for you tomorrow anyway so check back for a look at what a humongous preggo wears for a Halloween costume.

Adios my friends.

Sorry guys

I still feel the same, except perhaps a bit more frustrated. Guess I have a nice oven or something as the bun is as snug as a bug in a rug. I really had a feeling that today was going to be the day, but so far it doesn't look like it. Now I am second guessing all of my guesses as to date, weight & sex. I swore this pregnancy wouldn't last into November & I know that I still have a few days to go, but now I'm thinking it could go into next month after all. (And now I'm having a deja vu typing this so who the hell knows what that means!!!) Calvin's cousin is due November 4th with a scheduled c-section & that's the last date for me, so perhaps there'll be a big extended family celebration in Newfoundland next Friday night.

I've got the ultrasound scheduled for Monday coming up so if nothing happens this weekend at least we can look forward to having another look at the bun in utero. The woman I made the appointment with was so nice & funny with me over the phone joking about how frustrated I must be getting & Halloween tricks I could do if I end up coming in next week, that she actually made my not so hot day much, much better. Thanks stranger lady. I think tonight I'll go dig up my face paints (if I still have them) & paint the belly up for my appointment - would ultrasound gel make it come off though? It'll be good for a laugh anyway & probably better looking than the baby Calvin drew the other day.

Wow, I actually feel a lot better writing this out now. Before I started I chatted with hubby & almost started crying because I was feeling so sorry for myself. Boo-hoo big baby. Whatever. Now I've decided to start eating the cake I baked (was wating for labour), go give myself a pedicure so I have pretty feet & look forward to going out for dinner tonight. Tomorrow I'll start looking into some more home remedies for labour inducement. We've already tried walking (ow, ow, ow!), eating some spicy food (damn dog stole half my samosa!), cleaning the house (boring!) & doing what got us into this mess in the first place (a little akward to say the least!). Obviously that stuff hasn't done the trick. If the ultrasound shows all systems normal on Monday & we get the go ahead from the midwives I'll try the membrane sweep, the blue & black cohash or red raspberry leaf tea (think I'll try that today) & if that fails, perhaps even maybe the dreaded castor oil though I'm a bit leery about that one. I figure if I want to clean things out before labour I'll just eat a bunch of ice cream without the lactaid pills - that'll get things moving to say the least.

Anyway folks, that's the update for now. That devil's food cake is calling my name, the bun has hiccups & I'm developing some more heartburn so it's time to go eat, take a pill & watch another lame movie. Later dudes.

Nada

I feel like crap but the crap ain't helping me get the bun out of the oven. Midwife appointment this morning with Chantal went well, but we figured I wasn't quite in labour yet though my body is definitely getting ready for the big push. We didn't bother with an internal check or a membrane sweep though I could've taken her up on the offer if I wanted. We figured that even if I was 2 or 3 cms dilated I could still go like that for days so it might not tell us anything, plus the sweep sounded too uncomfortable for me today - I just was not up for it. If I'm still waiting next week I'll get it done. I've got another appointment set up for next week if I need it & I'm making an ultrasound appointment for Monday or Tuesday to make sure the oven is still working fine & the bun is ok. Stats from today are that the head is finally low in the pelvis, blood pressure is down (110/72), bun's heartbeat in the 140s & I measure 39 - 39.5 fundal height.

It's getting frustrating not knowing when this is going to happen. I was patient & ok about it until yesterday but then everything just got more uncomfortable. Mostly in my back. That popping sensation in my left butt the other night has turned into yucky pain. Not quite like the slipped disc I had last year, but close. Instead of sitting making it worse like the slipped disc, this time it's the walking, which is too bad because the walking could bring the labour on sooner. Oh well. So today I have 3 movies to watch while I lie on the couch. I'm not doing anything else. Everytime I get up the pain is worse so forget about all that last minute cleaning & stuff. I did the cake baking yesterday & a ton of laundry so that's going to have to do. Now is the time for absolute laziness & self-indulgence. Nothing else.

So that's it for now people. My brain is fried, my body is splitting in half & my bun is still baking. If anything changes this'll be the place to find out.


Joxer says hi


me & Joxer the mighty dog

It wasn't permanent

The marker that is. Turns out it was a white board marker & it came off easily in the bath water. So don't you worry your pretty little heads about the hideousness that was the baby on my belly. I'm just hoping what pops out is a wee bit more attractive to say the least. Who knows though, newborns can be pretty ugly. What?! I said that? Ooops. Of course all babies are stunningly gorgeous & the apples of their mother's eyes. All babies are beautiful. Right?

Whatever. I know our bun is basically going to look like some sort of cone-headed elf, probably with dark curly hair & maybe some freckles to boot. Mmmmm... that actually sounds more like a hobbit. Great, I'm going to give birth to Elijah Wood. Maybe we'll have to come up with a name like "Burry 'Headstrong' Primstone, Shire-thain" or "Cecla Harfoot of Buckland" via the Hobbit Name Generator. Perhaps just "My Precious" will do. Nothing a little therapy can't fix later. You'll probably think the name we'll come up with is just as weird anyway. Please understand though that you can't totally blame me for it (though I do have total veto power) as I came up with a huge list of names that included some "normal" ones & buddy quickly scratched most of them off the list saying they either sounded like floor cleanser or donuts. So if you don't like the bun's name when we finally decide try to remember that it'll be fine for a hobbit-elf child that's related to weirdos like us.

So I bet you all are wondering "what's up?", or more like "what's down?". Not much as far as I can tell. Still having cramps, nausea & heartburn. I think I've probably dilated a bit because of the tingly stabby pains I've been getting for a while (best name for it ever: "beaver stabs" ). Nothing hurts more the lower left-hand side of my back though. We walked the dog (yes, he's still alive) two nights ago & all of a sudden I felt a popping sensation & then sharp pain as my pelvic bones seemed to magically separate from my tailbone. Ow, ow, ow!!!!! It still hurts like a freaking bitch when I stand up & walk around so I've been pretty much sitting on my ass or lying on my back most of my time so it won't hurt so bad & also so I won't say the "ow" word in front of Calvin any more than I have to. The man is seriously driving me nuts asking me if I'm in labour yet. Don't get me wrong - it's totally sweet that he's so excited & impatient & nervous, but it's like listening to one of those dolls that you pull the string from out of it's back so it can say the same thing over & over & over & over again. Or like when you were on a road trip as a kid & you asked "Are we there yet?" until your parents' ears bled.

Don't worry honey, I still lurve you.

Today I think I'm going tile shopping for a fun design project I'm still doing work on.... that is if I can manage to get dressed & into a car. I did a bit of work yesterday as well which I'm sure you're all thinking is crazy (why isn't she sleeping?) but it actually kept my mind off the cramps & back pain. I think I'll bake a cake today too so we'll have something yummy to graze on while we hang out with the midwives. That sounds ominous in a last-minute sort of nesting instinct thing.... cake baking to bring on labour. We'll see, maybe I'll make some muffins too. I have a suspicion I'll be making it to the midwife appointment tomorrow morning & she'll tell me I'm early labour. I seriously believe that the bun will make it's appearance on Friday sometime - no idea why, it's just the feeling I've had for a while now. I really don't think it'll go into November but who knows - I've got until the 4th & they'll start sending me for tests by Monday or Tuesday to make sure the oven is still in working order.

I'm really not that impatient for it to all be over even though the last two days have gotten a bit rough & very uncomfortable. I'll miss watching the squirmathon alien shows & the rib tickling. I'll miss being probably the cheeriest I've ever been in my life (Calvin thinks I should be knocked up all the time). I'll even miss the good-luck belly rubs I get from friends & the oh-so comfy maternity clothes I get to wear. (Who am I kidding? I'll still be wearing them months from now.) Even though this has probably been the hardest thing physically I've ever put my body through & the heartburn almost killed me I've really been blessed with a relatively fantastic pregnancy. Has it been the hardest physical thing I've ever done? I guess the hardest part is still to come, but if I compare this to hours of pointe class or the half-marathon or hiking up a mountain I think that this probably does beat them all, but only by virtue of the fact that in this case my feeling of total lack of control over what is happening surpasses the physical trials of the others.

Blah, blah, blah. I'm sure I'm talking out my ass again & that of course I know nothing until I have the bun in my arms & even then, nothing until it reaches the dreaded puberty years. Hell, I'm just taking things as they come & writing what comes into my head. If my ideas (or baby names for that matter) suck or are totally off the mark once bun arrives I have only myself to blame. That and the Guinness. Anyway, if anything changes today I'll post later.... if not I'll update after the midwife appointment tomorrow morning. Stay gold pony boy -stay gold.

Don't ever let your husband get a hold of a permanent marker

Or something like this might happen when you are half asleep.


nice

Guess this is what Calvin thinks our baby is going to look like.

For those who can't figure out what the hell this is on my belly, Calvin also provided some labels.

even nicer

Ain't he sweet?

I'm now going to have a bath to see if I can scrub this off before I'm destined to see the midwives.

I don't think I'm in labour, but at this point I'm soooo confused about the cramping & lack of air I'm able to get into my lungs I could very well be squeezing out the fruit of my loins sooner than I think. I'll let you know.

Something fun...

to bide your time with while you wait for me to pop.

Design a baby for me. I'm sure it'll look real purty like. (You'll probably want to turn off the sound after a minute or so.)

Nothing yet

Monday morning update.

Almost killed the dog last night.
He used to sleep on our king-sized bed with us. In the middle. Under the covers. Sometimes he even got an extra pillow. Can you say spoiled? We figured since we had a bun on the way that perhaps this should change & when I finally found a great (not ridiculously expensive) pet bed he was banished to the floor beside our bed. Turns out he loves it, plus we put a blanket on him so he still gets to go under the covers. That was until last night. He whined pretty much all night long until he was finally banished to the basement with a muzzle. Now don't go getting any Hannibal Lecter ideas in your head.... he got to snuggle with a blanket on the couch & only a minorly limited capacity to bark. I could still hear the brat whine until I turned up the radio to drown him out. I don't think we've ever been so pissed off at him before. It's not like we didn't try to figure out what he wanted (besides to get on the bed), but at this late point in the pregnancy, I'm finding my patience is getting severely limited plus I need all the quality sleep I can get. Today I decided to not kill the dog, but if he tries this crap again I might have that Cruella de Ville coat yet.

Anyway there's not much happening on the baby front yet, besides the limb that appears to be sticking out of my side. Still feeling crampy, but there's no regularity, just an overall dull achiness. My legs are killing me whenever I get up now. Not that I am getting up much at this point. I decided after the gym yesterday that that was it for exercise. It was so hard to move & the stretching is not making me feel better anymore so screw it. I also did yoga on Saturday & I think they were all pretty surprised that I was even there when I told them I was due the day before. After that I went for yummy brunch at the Clocktower with Calvin & my aunt & uncle to get as many sugary carb-loaded calories in me as I could. At least I can actually eat a whole meal now that there is a little more room in my cramped stomach.

After brunch we decided to go for a walk along the Canal & ended up walking all the way to downtown from the Glebe. Normally I wouldn't think this was a long walk (around 5km), but I gotta say I'm still pretty exhausted from it 2 days later. We stopped at the new Metropolitain Brasserie & Restaurant in the new old Daly Building for some caffeinated sustenance before heading back. Love the design & the coffee was good, but the service wasn't spectacular (I guess it was in the middle of the afternoon) & I have a personal issue about someone in particular there so I have some mixed feelings about the place. I'll go back for a meal sometime because the decor is just so cool & I should give it a real chance before forming an opinion, but I'm a little sad about the whole thing that I shall not get into because I'm too damned nice.

So for those of you not in Ottawa, or for those who never get downtown, here's a couple of pics from our walk.

A lovely view of the ByTown Locks. They've drained a lot of the water out of the Canal & seem to already be getting ready for Winterlude, or as Calvin wants everyone to start calling it "Canal Pleasures".


Since we were in the area I got Joan to take a picture of us here (sort of under the War Memorial). This is where we had some of our favortite wedding day pictures taken. Yay!

Saturday night Calvin got to go out on a stag for a couple of hours while I lazed on the couch. Yes, he's a lucky, lucky man. I just figured since nothing was happening, what the hell, let him go. As long as I can get a hold of him & he doesn't get too tipsy, everything should be fine. And it was. We even went out to the bar together afterwards to say goodbye to my pal Sam who's moving to Toronto today. (Have a great move sweetie!) Of course everyone was surprised to see me & said I looked huge, then not so huge, then because I was feeling huge I said I felt like this....


She's gonna blow!

But.... at least I can still do this.

Boobs & Beer... what a combo!

So that was my weekend besides rolling around trying to get comfy on the couch yesterday in between strange spurts of activity. I guess some of the nesting instinct has returned because I ended up organizing camping equipment & doing laundry in the middle of the afternoon. This was after watching In the Womb on Life Network & some sappy animal rescue shows. Note to self: Don't watch emotional tv past your due date. Man I was tearing up all day just thinking about 3 legged dogs & the alien-like parasitic life form in my belly. The womb show was pretty cool - it even showed a real birth close up - money shot & everything. I didn't think they could do that on tv, but it was great to see even though it freaked Calvin right out. Just wait until you get the live show honey!

And speaking of show, like I mentioned above, nothing is happening besides the ever-increasing uncomfortableness. The bun hasn't dropped anymore, there's no contractions that I can make out, no more mucous-y bits, no water breaking though I dreamt that it did last night & woke up in a panic. Lots of weird vivid dreams, lots of crampy achiness, plenty of crabbiness & am feeling hungry pretty much all the time. As of last night my hands & feet have started to swell again so I've taken off my ring & now feel naked & puffy. Great.... now I'm a naked, puffy, enormous bellied, sleep-deprived, bitchy-mooded crazy lady. I hope that makes you all feel much better about yourselves today while I wallow in my pity party & self-medicate with chocolate & butter-saturated popcorn. mmmmm..... great, now I'm hungry again!

Nope

Saturday morning & not much happening. Feeling crampy & gross & sore, but there nothing is contracting in any regular fashion. I'm really not even contracting or feeling the Braxton Hicks. Perhaps I'm just used to them now, but I really don't seem to feel them unless I'm out for a walk. I woke up around 4 this morning & couldn't get back to sleep for about an hour because I kept getting some pain in my left side. Weird, but I think it was just from all the weight of the bun being on that side of my belly rather than any labour stuff. I'm just tired & confused at this point & want more sleep.

Today I'm going to yoga class, then out for lunch with Joan & Denis. Sounds strange to be saying I'm going out doing things when I'm now past the due date, but I've still got the energy & I'm getting bored sitting at home so I might as well drag my enormous carcas out on the town. Tonight we're going out to the pub to say goodbye to a school friend & Calvin is going out for some stag activities for an hour or so. Of course he'll have the cell phone strapped to his body or he'll be in big trouble (again.... but we won't get into that). Yes he has my permission to go because I have Thursday or Tuesday in my head - we'll see if my prediction comes true or not. Tomorrow I'm planning on going to the gym & then out for brunch again. After that I think I'll stick close to home - at least not drive anywhere by myself.

So that's the update for today. If anything starts I'll let the world know here. Oh, if you want to see the belly progression from start to almost finish here's my silly little slideshow: Belly Pics

Happy Birthday Claudia!

I hope you have a really fantastic birthday today & that there's lots of cake & presents for you. I have a feeling our present won't be making it in time, but I hope you like it when it gets there. Too bad I don't have another present of a new cousin today to share your birthday, but its always better to have the day all to yourself.


Maybe you'll get good surprises today that make you do this!

We miss you lots & lots & want to see you soon so we'll try & come for a visit in the spring so you can meet your new cousin. Have a really great day today & tell your mom to give you a big kiss & hug from Aunty Laura & Uncle Calvin.


Me & the munchkin

P.S. Due date today & no, I'm not in labour. I predict Tuesday or Thursday. Besides I have a lot to do this weekend.... like go see some English Beat!

P.P.S. Mom, if you click on the word BOB (its kind of highlighted) it will take you to another web page where you can see what I'm yapping about. MEC = Mountain Equipment Co-op.

A wee bit longer

So officially tomorrow's the due date, but like I said before I'm going with Saturday before I start counting overdue days. I saw Josee (midwife) this morning & all is well but not moving along too swiftly. Bun has definitely dropped but not engaged - the head is still not in my pelvis, though it sure felt like a hand or something was scraping at me to get out last night. Totally the strangest sensation ever, not quite painful but very ticklish in the nether regions. Plus it wouldn't stop squirming everywhere else either. Kicking, punching, dancing, flipping, stretching... you name it, it was doing it. I almost couldn't get to sleep because of all the activity, but it sure was fun to watch. And then I had to pee about 8 times in a 20 minute span. So... hard... to... get.... out... of... bed.... with... ginormous.... belly.

Midwife appointment was lots of fun & we talked about Peru, travelling & still being able to work with teeny babes strapped to one's chest. I really hope this is feasible physically & emotionally. My work is pretty easy & not overly strenuous physically or mentally, so I'm hoping I can get back into it relatively soon, putting in a few hours a week here & there. By few I mean somewhere around 2 or 3 at the soonest (not that soon silly) & working my way up to 10-15. Its not like I have to get dressed & drive somewhere, I can sit at the computer drafting in my jammies all day if I want. (Like I don't do that now... as I sit here in my ever-comfy red housepants, t-shirt & hoodie drinking root beer & getting a whiff of the dog's farts. I am sooooo glamorous!) I know... everyone is telling me I won't want to do any work, but I've just got this feeling that I'm going to want to do a little something that is not baby related all the time. We'll see what happens.... I may have to eat my words here but at least you will all have the satisfaction of witnessing my dumbness & saying to yourself "I knew it! She can't handle the pressure. Sucker!"

Other than that the visit went well. My blood pressure is still good (118/78) & I'm still measuring small at 37.5 - 38. She doesn't seem too concerned about the smallness with the dropping & all the moving around its doing. She says it sounds like things are getting in gear to go with the nausea & the runny bits, but that I'm also not allowed to go until next week anyway, since both her & Chantal are out of town for the next 30 hours (don't worry... the other ladies are still there if anything were to happen). If we don't go into labour until next week - which is when I think it'll be - then they will both actually be on call at the same time so we get to labour & birth with the two of them. Yay! Josee did say though that it seems like all the women due this month are pushing it right to the end.... who knows, perhaps there'll be 4 of us going at the same time & I won't get anybody I know which would totally blow. I have a feeling though that I will get to see both of them, so cross your fingers for me.

Let's see, what else? We finally got our new camera which I love, love, love, plus it fits into my teensiest, tiniest purse no problem. Now I just have to figure out all the gizmo-y stuff about it. We got a new shed that takes up way too much room in our side yard, but it does fit all the stuff from the basement it needs to. Also got a new sewing machine (not this model, but close) from Costco that we may or may not return. It seems pretty good & its computerized with all sorts of fancy stitches that Calvin has had fun with but the brand seems to have good & bad reviews. I'm going to shop around tomorrow & see if I can find something comparable price wise & maybe better quality. I haven't sewn properly for about 8 years so I really can't remember what I should be looking for & besides, there's so much new stuff I've never seen before. Damn fancy contraptions!

Speaking of contraptions, MEC is sucking in its delivery of the adaptor piece we need for our BOB. Since we bought an older one of these fancy strollers on e-Bay we need a retrofit adaptor to secure the car seat to it (real joging strollers not recommended for wee infants without extra head support thingies hence good thing to be able to snap in car seat for first little while). We found the thing on-line but had some trouble with ordering issues from the States so we checked out good ol' MEC. Someone found us the one & only last one ever in Canada in the Vancouver warehouse so we arranged for it to be shipped up to us in Ottawa. Well, it came once but turns out it was not the retrofit model so that sucked. Calvin called, the guy apologized & said he had the right one in his hands & would pack it up & ship it right away. Two days ago (mmmm that's 3 days to due date so cutting it kind of close) they call to say its in again. Terrific right? Calvin goes to pick it up after work, opens the box there to make sure its the right one, only to find a pair of fancy dancy cycling shoes. Hey, if they had been in his size he might've kept them since they were probably worth about $300 but since not, plus the real need (getting desperate here) for this freaking adaptor he decided to let them keep them. There's probably some guy out there right now opening up a box with a strange piece of metal wondering where the hell his bike shoes are. Dude.... call me. At least we have a sling, a Baby Bjorn & a Graco carrier, plus another stroller & two car seats to carry the bun around in for now. It would be really nice to get the adaptor though so we can take the bun & the dog to the gravelly, off-road dog walking place like we planned to. Hopefully they'll get their shit together & send us the right thing soon.

Other than that crap I sit here waiting to get the show on the road. I'm in no hurry, but am feeling mildly anxious to know when its going to start. I still have baby laundry to do, hem the curtains, finish cleaning my office & just tidy the house in general. All I want to do is watch tv & surf the internet. I guess that's ok as I'm sure I'll need to well-rested before labour kicks in, but I do feel a bit guilty when Calvin is working his butt off & feeling stressed. He's pretty anxious too & everytime I say "ow" he asks me if I'm in labour yet.

Poor guy - I've been saying ow a lot lately.

Holy crap!

The countdown is on people. Friday is technically the due date, though I always say Saturday, the 22nd. I still think it will go sometime into next week, though the only explanation I have is intuition & that my mother & 2 of the sisters have gone late. Our family tends to procrastinate a hell of a lot. Plus, Halloween would be pretty cool.

I can't believe that someone else will be living in this house within 2 weeks. I really just can't wrap my head around it. Can you say overwhelmed?! Uh, ya. Needless to say emotions are running high & somewhat volatile. I am consumed with anxiety that my child will hate me & that I'll be a terrible mother. I am paranoid that my water will break as I touch my toes in yoga class. I scared that I'm just going to be yelling at Calvin the whole time I'm in labour. And then, every once in a while it hits me that I have to push something this big out of something so small. Intellectually I know it'll be fine & that I can do it... its just that odd realization that there is now nothing I can do to stop this. No going back. Oh man, have we done the right thing? See, I am freaking out!

It seems even more realistic & imminemt now that some pre-labour stuff is starting to happen. I appear to be dropping as there is now a softer area under my boobs before the hard as a basketball belly. It feels weird & different when I bend over now too & tying up shoes has never been harder. The pelvic bones feel odd & pretty sore after walking for 10 minutes or so. I've had some flu-like symptoms the past two days, getting up feeling gross & runny in more ways than one & then the nausea hits soon after breakfast. My back feels achy & sort of crampy, I've got PMS symptoms & I may or may not have lost some of the snot cork - no show (the pinky kind), just really gross. Can you say too much information? Too freaking bad folks. I am determined that you shall feel my pain. Mwah ha ha.

So here's the dropping belly.

39 plus weeks

Yes, I am still wearing my gorgeous red velvety house pants. They have seen some better days that's for sure. Good thing I don't get out much. Though I gotta say, this past weekend was quite full on the social agenda front. Calvin & I went out for our last fancy dinner (ever?) on Friday night to Social in the Byward Market & had a lovely time seated by ourselves in a quiet part of the restaurant. The duck was delicious & company was sweet. Saturday our pal Karen came to stay with us & despite having been absolutely miserable earlier, I was persuaded to go out for Thai food at AiYara. This restaurant is fantastic & all the elephant china is so pretty. Yum! Sunday we went for breakfast at one of the many Royal Oaks with the Karen's & Geoff & Katherine & the Timbit. Another great outing with great company that was followed with a trip to the National Gallery to see the Christopher Pratt exhibit. I love, love, love his work. The lines, the reflections, such simple beauty & light. I could go on, but I'm done with the art lectures since finishing the teaching jobs & I feel this anxious stress if I start to think about them. Anyway, if you live in Ottawa, go see the show.

Today we got a lovely present in the mail from Grammy Drover. Aren't these the sweetest things you've ever seen? The little sweater & cap in the middle is for "going home" & the big hat is for the big baby. He wanted a Steve Zissou red cap so he could dance around in his speedo after the birth, but he got this instead & it looks great on me (tee hee). The ones on the right are colour coded & teeny weeny & the ones on the left are for a big headed munchkin.


awh


Close up of the outfit. How sweet.

Thanks so much Grammy! Our little monkey will look so cute & feel super soft & cuddly. Yay!

So I now must go out & do all the last minute purchases & then I can hunker down, do some work (yup, still working & I'm glad because really, daytime tv sucks major ass), laundry & panicking while wating for the bun to emerge from its cozy oven. Stay tuned for updates. We've got a midwife appointment this Thursday & another booked for next week as well so we'll see what they say when we see them. I'll let ya'll know when the show begins & Calvin swears he is going to set up a web cam so you can all witness the sailor mouth live. No money shots though or I will personally castrate the boy. You are my witnesses.

The one with the booze

mmmm


yummy & loaded with iron

This was at Joan's house for Thanksgiving dinner #1. After mashing the potatoes I needed a rest so I sat on the couch with my wee bit of beer. Toby dog decided to join me for some quality relaxation time & butt scratches. Mid scratch he happened to get a whiff of the Guinness & proceeded to go crazy, jumping all over me & barking, trying to lick the can & my face at the same time. (Kind of like Calvin after a few beers.) Once Calvin figured out that he wanted my beer he got him a little shot glass so he could have a sample taste.


toby likes it too

Obviously he enjoyed it.
Immensely.


guinness is good for you

He lapped it all up, barked for more & then passed out under the table while we enjoyed our delicious Thanksgiving feast. Good times. Too bad Joxer the Mighty Dog hates the smell of liquor - it could've been an entertaining way to get him to stop begging at the table.

Monday we went over to Scott & Barbie's house for Thanskgiving #2, complete with yummy stuffing & cupcakes. I'm telling you, if it wasn't for these meals this weekend, I probably would've eaten more McD's or popcorn. Because I'm just that lazy at the moment. Screw actually cooking something healthy for myself. I'm going for whatever is easiest. Today I might have enough energy to open a can of consome soup... we'll see. I think there's some ice cream bars in the freezer that could have the upper hand because it is easier to tear open one of the plastic wrappers than it is to muster my strength to use the can opener & get a pot.

Oh ya, we had one other nice meal on Friday at Haveli's after an afternoon at the Laff with Lucky Ron. Always a fun adventure there, especially when Calvin starts on the quarts of cinquant ( did I spell that right?). If you've never seen Lucky Ron, do yourself a favour & go down on a Saturday afternoon. Its like the country music version of the Rocky Horror Picture Show or the sing-a-long Sound of Music. There's clapping, singing, choreographed hand movements, plus the occaisional guest performance. This weekend we got to hear Golfball Tractor & a rousing rendition of Thank God I'm a Country Boy, the latter sung by some dude on his stag, dressed in the finest 1980's one piece tracksuit. Skin-tight, black, with lightning like streaks of fluorescent pink, neon green , yellow & aqua lines. On top of this was a lovely blue teddy & rainbow clown hair. We even have video proof. Nothing better my friends, nothing better.

Today (Thursday now - yes I know this post was started yesterday) we had a midwife appointment & I was grumpy. I'm not as grumpy now that I've had a cup of sweet, sweet coffee, but I'm still tired. Getting out of the house & chatting with someone sympathetic does wonders for a bad mood. Why so grumpy? Slept like crap of course. Can't get comfortable. Feeling crampy. Felt weird cramps after Thanksgiving dinner #2 as well, but since they led to nothing I'll assume it was some sort of gas. Woke up Tuesday morning around 5 am to pee & then had bad lower back cramps for about an hour or so, leaving me wondering what the hell was going on. Those I am now presuming were from the little parasite flipping over to my right side since I'm now getting kicks on my spleen versus my appendix. Much less comfortable of course & I've got this butt pointing out at a strange angle under my diaphragm. Its lodged up there good.

I thought these things were supposed to move less now since there is less room. No one seems to have notified the bun. It hasn't stopped moving for more than an hour at a time for the past couple of weeks & appears to be doing the hustle non-stop since it flipped. The flipping thing is a wee bit scary at this point & I laid awake for a few hours last night worrying that perhaps it had done a complete somersault & was now breech. Turns out the midwife was mildly worried about this too as she had some trouble locating the heartbeat at first & then once found, was in a strange place, near what we thought was the butt. She got another midwife to take a look (read uncomfortable prodding of abdomen) & was reassured (as were we all) that the head was indeed still down with a 99.5% probability. Unengaged of course. The little bugger still hasn't dropped & they think its ROP so its sort of facing sunny side up. If this doesn't change, its back labour here we come! At least that's what the internet tells me. Of course the internet knows all.

I've also been feeling a new sensation, or perhaps, lack thereof at the top of my belly. It now goes numb & pins & needles at odd times. Maybe if that butt moved down a little it wouldn't feel so odd when I scratch or rub it. The rest of the midwife appointment was pretty good, though the blood pressure got higher again (126/80). She says that at this late point in the game its still fine & everything is going well. Fundal height measures at 38.5 (I'm 39 weeks tomorrow) so we're still growing & apparently I still have lots of muscle tone in my abs. Who'd've thunk it? My pal V who's a labour & delivery nurse estimated on Monday (Thanksgiving #2) that the bun looks like it should be about 6.5 - 7 pounds. With just over a week to go to due date (da-duh-duhn!) & a last possible date of November 4th, we figure it will be around 8 pounds & not the 10 I was dreading.

Anyway, I'm now going to go for a swim & take some of this weight off my hips & legs. Tomorrow is my massage. Tonight I take Benadryl before I go to sleep. Ahhhhh, sweet, sweet knock out drugs. Maybe I'll even have another half a Guinness. mmmmm

38 Week Countdown

Relentless fatigue - check.
Baby still high & forcing stomach acid into throat - check.
Tenderized ribs combined with breathing difficulties - check.
Belly button still an innie - check. (yay!)
Celebratory cigars arrived - check.

Waiting for:
Nesting instinct to kick in again.
New camera & car seat /kick-ass stroller adapter to be delivered.
New shed to put all our downstairs storage room crap into.
Midwife & massage appointments later this week.
Bun.

Still need to:
Apparently - do baby laundry pre-arrival.
Wash & hem curtains for bun's rom.
Install car seats into cars.
Finish packing bags to take to hospital.
Purchase some cloth diapers supplies.

Done:
Hair trimmed & coloured.
Nursing bras, jammies & shirts purchased.
Name list narrowed down to 2 or 3 of each (puppies AND kittens).
Terrifying labour stories read & stored in ever failing memory bank.
Googled pictures of "snot corks" (mucus plugs) & stories of waters breaking in various public places.

Oh what else is there? I want to nap all day, my brain drain is reaching horrific levels, my back & legs hurt whenever I move or don't. Sleeping is a hard place to get to when you are lying down on a hobo bed. I have to take lots of breaks at the gym & all I seem to be eating now is Reese's Peanut Butter Cups & McDonalds Cheeseburger Happy Meals. Thank goodness for two Thanksgiving meals this weekend or I'd never get any real protein.

Hobo bed?
Ya..... recommended by paranoid pregnant chicks on line everywhere & on our list of things to do from the midwives.... place a layer of plastic sheeting (shower curtain, etc.) under your regular sheets so if your water breaks in bed (or you do the homebirth thing), your precious mattress will remain oh so pristine. Too bad it feels like you are sleeping on garbage bags & the rustling sounds like you are smuggling crinkly wrapping paper in your undies. Real romantic like.

Okeedokee. This post is taking way too long for my liking. My brain really isn't functioning very well anymore. I had tons of things to write about & now I can't for the life of me remember what the hell they were. I keep spelling things wrong, re-typing & erasing. I better stop while I'm ahead. Here's some pictures from last week to keep you going until I post the Thanksgiving recap later.

This is me looking oh so spectacular after the gym.


38 weeks



stripping down


lumpy butt. Calvin made me put this one up.


my view of it all

Sophie

Happy Birthday my little monkey! Even though you will probably never read this because your mom is pretty lame with the internet, I thought I'd wish you all the best on your big 10th birthday. I hope you get all the cool presents you want & get to eat lots & lots of cake & pizza & sugar cereal (I forgot to add that to your birthday present - sorry!).


Monkey girl

You are a totally cool kid & I miss you all the time. I hope our little bun grows up to be like you, smart & fun & a funky dresser. You rock Sophie!


Laura & Sophie among the animals.