Me and Santa

At Jaden's birthday party last week (Saturday, the 13th)...

All the children were scared of Santa (if only they'd known it was Michael underneath!), so I sat in Santa's lap first.

Santa asked...
"Have you been good this year?"

And answered his own question immediately...
"Oh no! It's obvious that you've been a bad girl!"

Information Services Dinner and Goodies

Friday the 12th was the Christmas Dinner and Desserts night for Information Services. We went to Yellow Belly Brew Pub for the dinner and back to Bernie's for desserts, tea, and coffee after.

For the desserts I made a gigantic cake, which Heidi and I found in Bon Appetit magazine. Wow. Was it ever rich and decadent!!! Imagine if you will four layers of devil's food cake, chocolate ganache and white chocolate peppermint cream between each layer, and a marshmallow peppermint frosting covering the entire thing. Our cake dome was not large enough to fit over the top even before the cake was frosted!!! And the amount of time it took to make this creation? 3-4 hours to bake the cake and prepare the fillings on Thursday evening, and then at least 2 hours on Friday making the frosting and assembling the darn thing.

It was delicious, but certainly not something to make for less than 12 people!!!

If you want to make the cake, the recipe is available on the Epicurious web site:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Devils-Food-Cake-with-Peppermint-Frosting-350770

Today (December 19th) is both the QEII Library Christmas luncheon and my last day at work before I leave for Christmas holidays and then go right into maternity leave starting January 5, 2009. It feels so strange to be sitting at my desk and have it be so bare. When I return in January to show off the baby, there will be someone else sitting here. And with the end of my contract coming while I'm on maternity leave, I have no idea if I'll even be coming back to this particular desk. It's very, very weird.

But enough of the writing and wistfullness! Time for pictures from the 12th - and especially (as it's become known in the office) "that cake"!!!

Wendy and Karen

Aspi and DavidShannon and Yours Truly

Dan and Janet

Angela and Jane

Ann, Erin, and Ian

Joanne and Elizabeth

Cutting the cake... Amanda watching

Maya and Ian awaiting the first slice...

Amanda, Jane, Wendy, and a slice of the cake!

YUM! But how will we finish the WHOLE thing!?!

A comparison picture. Same outfit, same background. A little over a month later...
The belly is definitely bigger!
We had our final pre-natal class last night. Really happy we attended them in the end. Though some parts made me feel more nervous than assured. The best part was getting to see the birthing room.

A few more pictures (this entry is gonna be short). The baby's room is almost done. Just a few pictures and other items to go up on the walls and it will be ready!
And finally, a picture of Sophie. She does seem to know there's something going on...

It's a GIRL!!!

It's Week 35, and the ultrasound today showed for certain she's a girl.
She's a healthy 5 lb. 11 oz., and pretty darn cute as far as we can tell from the ultrasound images.

She was settled at the correct angle for the technician to use the 3D ultrasound... All the 3D ultrasounds I've seen before I always thought looked a bit creepy... but now that it's mine???
Well, I can see her little closed eyes, and her little nose, and her little mouth peeking out from behind one of her hands. As our friend Sue says, "Awwwwww. Look at the little face!"

OK. OK. So right now she's got a face that only a mother could love (I'm guilty), but in a couple months she'll be melting all your hearts.
:-)

The Baby Shower!

The baby shower was Saturday evening and over 30 people attended! We had silly games (finish the nursery rhymes, guess the width of Heather's stomach, guess the name of the famous mother stuck to your back, connect the animal with its baby, and baby word scramble among others...) and prizes for the winners. Everyone seemed to have a good time - including me!

I need to give a BIG THANK YOU to Lilly and Heidi - the shower would not have been possible without them.And some photos of people who came to the party...Carlotta, Chasity, Christine, Darlene, and Emily (the cutie in purple).Katie, Christine, and Sandy.
Janet, Stacey, Joanne, Jill, Maya, and Sue's head...Alison with some of the gifts and the cake, which reads "Can't wait to meet you Baby Pretty!"

I can't thank everyone enough. There were so many beautiful gifts. This is certainly going to be one very well-cared-for baby with a lot of CUTE outfits.

Here I'm holding one very special outfit (the first half) crocheted by our good friend, Sue.Please, don't anyone worry about Michael being kicked out of the house or being sent to the basement! There just happened to be a scotch tasting at his friend's house the same evening...
He did just fine... ;-)

Oh, and Sophie? She had a great time, but was still recovering on Sunday night... Here she is trying to get some rest, though somehow she became decorated with our socks...

Jingle Bell Walk and Run (err... Waddle)

Michael and I did the Jingle Bell Walk and Run (or "Walk and Waddle" for me!) on Sunday (yesterday) to raise money for the NL Arthritis Society. We ended up running into a bunch of people we knew doing the same thing.

Here's another chance to see my belly... kinda. It was an RDF (that's "rain drizzle and fog" for those who don't know Newfoundland lingo!) day with some wind, so I bundled up a bit.And here I am halfway around Quidi Vidi lake with my co-worker Stacey (middle) and her cousin, Elizabeth. And, yes, I did make it all the way around the lake! The baby bump is a bit better accentuated by the rain jacket hanging down each side...Today we had our third appointment with the obstetrician. The baby is healthy by all measures: continuing to grow, has a strong and steady heartbeat, moves a lot (has discovered how to push its foot up under my rib cage!), and has settled into the "proper" position of head down-tail up.

Oh, and sister-in-law Beth is coming along nicely as well. She's about 20 weeks along now.
Hopefully, she won't mind if I share a picture of her and Michael's brother, Jamie...
It's so nice to see everyone happy!!

Video from August trip to Alaska

So, I'm FINALLY getting to know and use my new laptop better. Here's my first movie making attempt. It features the days leading up to Ellen and Bob's wedding.

People featured? Ellen (of course), Krista, Ethan, Mom, Dad, and... and...
the VERY cute Amelia!

Halloween

Okay. I'm posting the Halloween pictures a bit late... To make up for it, there's something I've noticed reading through the posts and showing people the blog.
People want to see pictures!
So, I'll focus on more pictures and less text.
Okay, pretty self-explanatory. Michael is a sexy Quebec'er and I'm a pregnant Catholic school girl. The tie I'm wearing features the characters from South Park. Funny enough, I bought it for Michael for 2 pounds at a car boot sale while living in England. I think I've worn it more times than he has now...

Our pumpkins! Michael's is the cannibal pumpkin. Mine is the devil pumpkin.














The party at Heidi and Dave's new house was LOTS of fun. A bunch of us ended up dancing (and singing) around the computer to downloaded 80s music. Is THAT scary???

Heidi's friend, Dominique, was visiting from new Brunswick. In addition to being a great person and very nice, she also has been reading Tarot cards for many years. She agreed to read my cards, and of course I asked lots of questions about the baby and family. Good news. The baby is going to be happy and healthy and will have a great life. Our whole family is going to be happy, and I'm going to live a long life and be happy. Can you see a general theme here? All is good, we're all going to be happy.

Halloween was LOTS of fun.

10 weeks to go!?!?

OK. So perhaps not the most flattering picture of me, but a picture finally taken at the request of our friend, Paul, who is living in Nova Scotia so can't see me in person. And really, why not share it with the rest of you who can't be with us and see my belly growing? Haven't y'all been curious?

A comment about the pregnancy clothes. The shirt is borrowed from my sister and VERY comfortable, and the pants are black corduroy maternity pants. I bought them a bit larger than I probably needed, but that just means they're extra comfy, and the fact they're corduroy means they're WARM as the days in Newfoundland get chillier. If any of my co-workers are reading this, thank you all for not mentioning the fact that I've started wearing these pants EVERY DAY. They're just so comfy!

So, it's 30 weeks and counting! I had a bit of a freak-out on Friday when I ran into someone from work while shopping for Halloween costumes (I'm going to be a pregnant Catholic school girl :-) ). She said something along the lines of, "Oh! 30 weeks? That means you can start counting backward... That means you've only got 10 weeks to go!" I wonder if she saw the look of panic enter my eyes! 10 weeks is not that long. Especially as I'd like to get my work "all wrapped up" in preparation for maternity, and we haven't gotten the baby's dresser and bookcase picked up from Sears yet!

Other things that have been happening lately... There are a lot of job postings here at Memorial University, and because I'm on contract I've applied for a couple. However, with the new University Librarian (she'll have been here a year as of Nov. 1) there's a LOT of shifting around of positions and moving people from contracts to permanent positions. In order to make all these moves, there are currently 7 positions being posted - which means that all the librarians here are applying for the positions, serving on search committees for the positions, or BOTH. I'm one of the lucky "both" category people. It's added a lot of extra work (and stress) to the past couple months - not to mention that September/October is Library Instruction season, and there are several other things on the go... Biggest question for me, however, is will I have a new permanent job before the baby is born?

But enough of my excuses why I haven't posted a message in over a month! Let's get back to talking about baby and pregnancy!!!

We've now had our first visit with the obstetrician. I/we will be seeing her every two weeks now until the baby is born. We also - just last night - attended our first of five PRENATAL CLASSES. In addition to the regular prenatal classes, there is also a one-night class on breastfeeding I want to attend, and a one-night class on "baby's first week". Although I'll be very happy to have Mom and Brenda with me when the baby is first born, I'm really interested in the second optional class to find out what the heck to do with our screaming (possibly) bundle of joy when it first comes home.

For some odd reason, I was expecting the prenatal class to make us feel more at ease... We were loaded down with booklets and information, and warned to go pack our bag for the hospital now, as you never know when you'll be going into labor... Demonstrations of how the baby fits through the pelvis... and a video of a woman going through the first stages of labor and then giving birth. The woman giving the prenatal class said, "You all must have seen tons of these watching those birthing shows on television." Actually, I've been trying to AVOID watching those shows...

Apparently, I'm supposed to keep reminding myself that this is a totally natural process. I've been doing that since the class last night, but it hasn't really helped...

I guess the problem is that I'm a natural procrastinator. One of the great things about having the baby due January 5th is that I keep thinking, "Oh, I don't have to worry about giving birth until NEXT year." I know, it's silly - not to mention completely false logic. Last night was the first time it was really driven home to me that because this is my first pregnancy, the baby will most likely come EARLY. This baby might be born in 2008. That's this year - not next year.
Eep!

But no worries. I also know that this baby will come whenever it's ready. There will be 14 or so hours of labor, Michael and I will get through it, and everything and everyone will be settled, happy, and into a good routine by the time February comes around... Right?

More baby preparation...

A picture of my birthday cake from August 28th... As you can see, in addition to making a lemon cake with chocolate frosting (my favorite), Michael also managed to make the decoration extra special for my 33rd birthday. :-)

So, most of the panic about shopping for baby stuff is over. With a bit of advice from my mother and sister, and huge generosity from our friends, Chasity and Jason, I now have arranged for a crib, a playpen, a vibrating chair, a swing, and an activity center. Brenda, as well, is also going to send me newborn clothes, a playmat (for that all-important "tummy time"), and some other odds and ends for the first few months of the baby's life.

So far, my main big purchase has been a glider-rocker... It was on sale at Sears this past weekend, and Michael and I agreed it would be something we'd want in the house for the next 20 years. So, hopefully, I'll continue to stay relatively practical with baby-prep purchasing. The only other "big purchase" I'm considering is a dresser which would double as a change table.

I'm not planning any huge painting or overhaul for decorating the baby's room. I have a beautiful cross-stitch done by my sister-in-law to hang on the wall, and with a few other pictures, a bookcase full of stuffed animals (which I already have from my childhood), and a bed skirt for the crib, I think it will be perfectly "decorated". Funny enough, Michael seems quite pleased that I don't want to repaint the room...

Here in the next few weeks, I'll be going for the ... diabetes challenge I think it's called. They take my blood, make me drink something sickly sweet, and then take my blood again an hour later. I've got one more appointment with my GP in October, and then my first appointment with the OB at the end of October. I've sent in the application for the prenatal classes at the hospital, have applied for maternity leave, have applied to the campus childcare centre for when the baby is TWO (it's a long waiting list...), and am starting to collect all the information for the EI application, which I'll need to submit (along with the birth certificate) the day the baby is born. Maybe I'll get Michael to submit that one for me...

Everything is feeling prettymuch on schedule.

Till next time!

Labor Day Weekend in Trinity

What a great weekend we had in Trinity!!! Seems like we end up there at least once every summer. SCUBA diving (I played on the beach with Sophie), scallops (yum!), walks through the town, hikes along the coastline, and lots of fun with friends.

This year we rented a cozy little cabin to share with our friends Sue and Doug, and our friend Paul and his family stayed in another cabin just next door. Sophie (often called our "practice child") was exhausted by the end of the four days. On the last day she was even taking small breaks from swimming out to retrieve sticks, and finally gave me a pitiful look pleading me to just let her go to her cage in the back of the Expedition to SLEEP. That was Monday, she still seemed to be recovering on Thursday night...

Ah, but this is the baby blog... What did we learn about the baby over the weekend?

BABY LIKES CAKE.

On Sunday morning I took a couple bites of leftover birthday cake and there was almost immediate movement from the baby - and lots of it. We had a discussion about how long it takes for food to digest and actually reach the baby... Did you know that some sugar is taken directly into your blood stream through your cheeks? At least, that's what I'm told and choose to believe. Thus... Baby likes cake.

Perhaps because I'm into the second trimester, or perhaps because the Fall Term has started at MUN (lots more to do!), I now find that getting up in the morning is a lot easier. My next doctor appointment is on Tuesday. But mostly, everything seems to just be going along about normal.

Till the next post...

OH. Update on my winnings... 4 tickets at $4 each... and I won $10. Nothing ventured nothing gained, I suppose. :-)

Coincidence... or fate...?

So, a little extra added entry in the blog because it's my birthday today...

I happen to be turning 33 in the 22nd week of the pregnancy... So that's kinda weird (if you have a thing for numbers...).

So, I'm going to go buy a lotto ticket at 11:00 today. Do you think I'll win?

Pattern would be... 33 - 22 - 11 - 00

The only question is... how many tickets should I buy... 4? or 44? or just 1?

btw, when my father reads this, he's going to roll his eyes, and make a comment to my mother along the lines of... "The pregnancy has finally sent our younger daughter off the deep end!"

I hope everyone has a great day, and WISH ME LUCK!!!

Contemplating What We'll Need

So... this weekend I finally started going through all the books that Brenda gave me. (Thank you, Brenda!)

The one I concentrated on was "Baby Bargains" where they give you advice on what you'll actually need the first year or so of the baby's life, and how much it should cost... It's that second part that started my heart beating faster!

Crib, mattress, rocker, bedding, clothes, breastfeeding stuff, swing, portable crib, playpen, baby monitor, infant car seat, convertible car seat, baby sling/carrier, and what about diapers?... It didn't sound like that much at first, but then I started looking into the details of the different choices you could make. Seems like it would be awfully easy to get caught up in the "but I want the best for my baby" attitude. And then it's not just a matter of buying the most economical item, because cheap might also sometimes mean "unsafe". Yikes!

OK. So blowing it a little out of proportion. And then, of course, there will be a baby shower. The women in my office seem to be already planning. :-) I guess it's just another side effect of Michael and I were so busy thinking about _getting_ pregnant, we didn't actually think that much about what it means to _be_ pregnant. We've still got a little over 4 months to figure it out, I guess.

I got some EXCELLENT news today: Our friends, Steve and Anita, just had their first baby! So for now, it's joy all around.

And as for our baby, he/she is still very active. At the first sonogram in July (and again in August come to think of it) it took awhile for the doctor to find the hearbeat, and then when the baby finally decided to cooperate and be still long enough to measure the heartbeat... each time there was a little "thock" of the baby kicking, "Hey! Quick poking at me!" Needless to say, the ultrasound was very exciting as the technician had to chase the baby all over my stomach!

And the past week, we finally both felt the baby move. Yeah!!!

The long weekend is coming up. We're heading to Trinity on Friday with our friends, Sue and Doug. Our friends Paul and Carlotta and their children are planning to come out for part of the weekend as well. Should be nice and relaxing.

And then next week the students are back and it's straight into "Library Instruction season" for me.

Hopefully I'll get a bit of a break to update you further, and maybe get a picture of my tummy up for comparison over the next few months.

The First One for Heather and Michael

At the suggestion of our friend (well, she's practically family!), Ellen, I am starting a blog about our baby that's currently "on the way" and due the first week of January.

The pregnancy officially began March 31st, but I figure it's easier for quick math if we say the pregnancy started on April 1st, which also happens to be Michael's birthday. That means as of today I'm about 4.5 months along. To be precise, that's exactly 20 weeks. My doctor keeps telling me that "we measure these things in weeks" when I tell her how many months along I am.

So, what have people been asking me? I'll try to answer a few of the questions, so you won't have to ask me, too!
Yes, I've had morning sickness - though thankfully not as bad as my mother.
Yes, I've been tired - I never realized that afternoon naps are not only a very nice thing, but also a necessity!
Do I miss caffeine? Yes, but I indulge in a bit from time to time. Perfectly within safe levels!
Do I miss alcohol? Yes, but Michael is kind enough to give me a sip of beer every now and then because beer is one of my cravings! (I no longer care one way or the other about wine... and the thought of hard alcohol makes me sick to my stomach.)
Have I been emotionally up and down? Not so much. When I start feeling emotional, I "logic" my way out of it. "You're just feeling this way because you're pregnant. Get over yourself."
CRAVINGS:
peanut butter (at the beginning),
beer (non-alcoholic beer tastes pretty good when it's your only option),
red grapes (sweet, crunchy, and thirst-quenching - what could be better?)
dairy products (laughing cow cheese, most any cheese, milk, chocolate milk, vanilla yogurt)
chocolate (you don't want to get between me and a piece of chocolate right now)
water (I've never been so thirsty in my entire life. Wow, do I appreciate water!!!)
Have I sent Michael anyplace to get food in the middle of the night? NO.

Really, I have to say that Michael has been VERY lucky with me as a pregnant wife. It also helps a lot that he has voluntarily, without complaining, starting helping out a lot more around the house. And he also gives me foot and back rubs whenever I ask for them. He's been a most fabulous support.

Best moment of the pregnancy so far? Hearing the baby's heart beat for the first time. It was nice to have it confirmed that I'm not getting fat for nothing.

Oh, and at 20 weeks, I've now gained about 20 pounds. 10 more to go before I get past the limit my doctor has recommended, but I'm sure if I go past that, she'll just tell me that "whatever an individual woman gains is 'normal' for her." My doctor is great.

So... I don't think I'll share the sex of the baby in this post, but at the ultrasound last Thursday (19 weeks, 3 days), all indications were that the baby is perfectly healthy and just where he/she should be in terms of growth.

Let's just see now if I can figure out how to include a picture in the post...