Week 39...Will We Make it to Week 40?

Well, week 39 was a week for preparation I tell ya! I spent much of the week having more intense braxton hicks contractions that seem to be happening more frequently, feeling Muppet do the mambo (I swear it's more active then normal lately) and crazy nesting.

One night I had such intense contractions, I almost woke Chris up as I thought I was going into labour. It took me a long time to get to bed that night, as Muppet was very active, and then for the next 3 hours, it was a routine of having a contraction, followed by Muppet protesting with lots of movement, and so on. I also started to feel nauseated so I moved from bed to sitting on my birthing ball to try to make the contraction leave. Apparently, braxton hicks contractions generally go away when you change positions unlike real contractions. Sadly, this was not the case that night. I tried walking around the room, sitting in a chair, laying in different positions in bed, but nothing worked. Eventually they died down though, and I was able to sleep. I don't know what it is, but since that night Muppet has been crazy active, flipping around completely, kicking hard and nudging my bladder with it's head. It must be practicing it's exit routine. It mostly does it at night, and always responds quite intensely after each contraction.

Since that wild, sleepless night, I've gone into crazy nesting mode. The other day I decided to clean things that truly had nothing to do with the baby. I started cleaning closets, cupboards, breaking down boxes, looking for clothes to donate, organizing my hallowe'en costumes and folding my fabric I use to make my stuffies. The sudden burst of random energy had me a little nervous, as I was sure this was a sign the baby was coming. But no, at the end of the day, I dropped in bed, totally exhausted. I did get a lot done that day though... :) Next time, I'll clean things that are more important...like the bathroom, or the fridge. ;)

I did do more cooking as well during my frantic cleaning phase. I made a belly warming beef stew that was so full of flavour. It reminded me of a yummy roast dinner with veggies and yorkshire pudding...mmmm.... Again, a delicious soup for the winter months. Luckily we have some left over, so we have a meal or two ready for when Muppet is here. :)

Finally, after 9 months, we were able to do something I had been just dying to do. We parked in the 'Expectant Mother's' parking spot!! I was so excited that I made Chris take a picture of the sign. I know it's dorky, but hey, you can only do it so many times in life, you might as well enjoy it! ;)

We had our prenatal the other day as well, and I was supposed to get an internal pelvic exam, but after doing some research, I decided to ask the doctor to wait until I was at least 40 weeks along. Since it wasn't really necessary as I haven't had any spotting, the baby is still (very) active and I am not really wondering if I'm dilated or not, I didn't see the need to risk jump starting labour or introducing infection or bacteria into my body. The doctor was great and had no problem with my request, so all my practicing my reasons for not wanting the examination in the mirror was a waste of time. :) Oh well!

At 39 weeks, Muppet is truly ready to go. It is still continuing to plump up so it can regulate temperature when it is out in the world. It is starting to lose old layers of skin, so newer skin can form. At my last prenatal, I had lost weight, which is seen as a sign that the baby is done growing in there and will be coming into the world pretty soon. Muppet's heart rate was 147, is still head down and has it's back turned on my left side with it's feet on my right side, which we had kind of guessed as we had been playing "grab the foot" the night before in bed. :)

Well, it looks like I'm making it to 40 weeks! Muppet is not an early bird after all! It is like it's parents... ;) I suspect it will be soon though, as those crazy Toni Braxton Hicks contractions (as Chris calls them) are increasing everyday, and the baby seems to be heading south for the winter. ;) It is really doing a number on my bladder, I tell ya! It still seems unreal that very soon we will actually be holding a real baby in our arms. This has been the most amazing adventure we've ever been on, and even when I was sick and sore, I enjoyed every minute of it. I know I will never be able to do anything more important or special in my life, and I am so glad I was able to share it with all my loved ones.

*Note: My sister and brother are now home for the holidays, and we are just waiting for Chris' brother and our soon to be sister-in-law to arrive. Hopefully Muppet holds out until everyone is home safe and sound!

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Week 35, A Trip To Toronto!

Week 35 was a great week for getting things done! I like to think of it as, "NURSERY WEEK", in which we got a lot of things accomplished for the baby's room. One of the greatest gifts we've gotten so far is from my cousin in Toronto, who has two lovely boys who sadly have outgrown their crib. When she heard we were expecting, she quickly offered her beautiful crib and change table top to us, which are made of such great quality, we never could have afforded them on our own. Also, the fact that it was so well loved means so much to me as well.

We went to Toronto the other week to pick up the crib (thank goodness we bought a Sante Fe), as well as any other "donations" from my cousin and her hubby that they were so generously offering. It was a bit of a drive, but we were so excited to finally arrange a visit with them, that time flew by. When we got there and she saw my tummy, she exclaimed, "Oh no! You are having a girl!" I guess she felt because of how my tummy is all out front instead of spreading wide, it was a girl, and well, all the things she had were for little boys. I assured her that we really had no idea what it was, and even if it was a girl, we are planning on having more than one baby, and well, I am so not opposed to my little one wearing something blue. :) We finally got to hang out with her little ones, who are way too cute! One of them was actually sitting in the closet when we arrived and didn't want to come out. It was so adorable. They really took to Chris, and kept him busy with games and toys while my cousin and I went through all the baby stuff. Later that night, we sat down to an amazing indian meal which was new to both of us. It was so yummy, and didn't cause me to have any heartburn! :D It's too bad that we are all so busy and live so far away from each other. We are just so thankful for all they have done for us, and cannot wait to go back and visit again, but this time with Muppet in tow.

The day before we went to Toronto, bright and early, my father and I went to go and check out a dresser I had seen on kijiji.ca. I was very concerned about matching the wood to the crib (which I could only vaguely remember since it'd been so long since I'd seen it).  I knew matching the wood would be difficult because the crib is such a natural, un-yellow colour, and most wood tends to take on a yellowish  tinge. Well, as soon as I saw the dresser I said, "You know, I think that is pretty darn close!" We picked it up (which was very difficult as it is huge and heavy and well, I'm pregnant and dad is a triple bypass survivor), but someone we got it onto the truck. After we brought the crib home and set it up, dad brought the dresser over in his truck and we held our breath to see how close the wood was. Would we have to paint the dresser? Buy a whole new one?.... Are you reading this in suspense right now?....

The colours matched PERFECTLY! I almost cried! We couldn't believe how exact they were, until I opened one of the dresser drawers and took out a little booklet. It turns out that the dresser is actually from the same company and line as our crib! How crazy is that?! I should have bought a lottery ticket that day. Needless to say, I am over the moon with happiness right now and couldn't be more pleased with how everything turned out. This nursery is quickly becoming my favourite room in the house, and all the pets agree with me too. Nobi sleeps on the change table, Neko sleeps in the crib and Sawyer sleeps on the decorative rug. It's a comfy room, and I'm sure Muppet will love it! We obviously have things to finish up in it, but we are well on our way! :D

I think I've also started nesting a bit again, as I am constantly wanting to clean and organize our house, as well as prepare meals for the future when baby is here. I have been cooking up chili and pasta sauce, as well as making attempts at baking, which if any of you know me, know is an almost impossible feat. After some ruined cookies, a "meh" cake and a few other sweets, I was successful with a deliciously moist batch of chocolate chip banana muffins! They were amazing! Now if only I knew how I made them, because by that attempt, I gave up measuring ingredients properly... :) Oh well, the baby won't be eating solids for a bit, so I have time to prefect my baking techniques. I'm also pretty sure I need one of those adorable KitchenAid mixers too... ;)

At 35 weeks, Muppet weighed as much as a honeydew melon, so at that point, I liked to picture Muppet as Dr. Bunsen Honeydew from The Muppet Show. :) Because of how big Muppet is, there isn't much room for crazy acrobatics, so it's mostly limited to shifting and stretching in my tummy. Apparently, my uterus is also now all the way up into my ribcage, which is crazy to think about, when you consider that it once was tucked up inside my pelvis. The things that your body can do, I tell you! :) I have noticed that my bladder is really getting touchy, as I have to pee all the time now, and any coughing or laughing fit can become a hazardous situation, sending me running to the bathroom, well, waddling anyways. Here is a photo of my tummy around 35 weeks pregnant. I think this photo explains why I have a bit of a swagger to my walk these days... ;)

My book choice this week is 'The Incredible Book Eating Boy' by Oliver Jeffers, though I have to say that any book by Oliver Jeffers is worth a read and a look, as the illustrations are so awesome and the story's are so unique! Basically, the book is about a young boy named Henry who loves books, but not the way most people love them. He loves to EAT them. He discovers that the more books he eats (math books, storybooks, dictionaries...it doesn't matter), the smarter he becomes, and so he sets off to become the smartest person in the world. Eventually, his little tummy cannot digest all of the books he's eaten, and so all of his acquired knowledge begins to become jumbled up and he starts making big mistakes. Henry realizes he must find a new way to become the smartest person in the world, but how? This book is super cute and clever, with the most textured and detailed illustrations for hip kids of all ages out there. If you like this book, make sure you check out the rest of his work, as they are all equally enjoyable! 

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Busy Like A Bee At 23 Weeks!

This past week has been very busy for us, as we had Pawlooza (a doggy festival), work and a full day of pickling! It was hectic, but we really did have a lot of fun and it was neat to think that in a way, Little Muppet was there to experience these things with us.

We went to Pawlooza bright and early on Saturday morning, as I had to work later on in the afternoon and we knew we couldn't disappoint Sawyer by missing this special puppy day. And what a day it was! The place was packed with animal charities and rescues, animal treats and toys, a pet physic, pet first aid demonstrations, dog competitions like dock diving and agility and let's not forget the crazy amount of dogs towing their owners behind them! http://www.pawlooza.com

Sawyer's favourite thing (besides sniffing dog bums) is swimming, and this year they had fenced in part of a body of water so the dogs could run, play and swim freely without dragging their people into the muddy water. He swam and fetched all sorts of toys that had been provided for the dog's entertainment. He was basically in heaven. We stayed there most of  our visit, as it's impossible to drag him away from any body of water (even if it's a puddle the size of a tennis ball). He came home very tuckered out, but blissfully happy. He cannot wait for next year! 

Chris filmed a little video of Sawyer swimming with his 4 legged friends with his iPhone, so click on the link to watch the fun! www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3Qw0aWahjg  (He likes to chase the ball, but has yet to learn to bring it back to us.)

The next big project was making homemade dill pickles (my mother is famous for them!). I have been looking forward to making them for quite some time as there really isn't anything more satisfying then creating something wonderful from scratch. You really feel like you have accomplished something important...even though to some it's, well...just a jar of pickles. One of my favourite childhood memories is opening that first jar of pickles on Thanksgiving Day, and I want the tradition to continue on in my little family, so I knew it was time to do the whole process...not just eat the first pickle. :) 

Our pickle quest did not start off too smoothly, as finding pickling cucumbers is getting to be more and more difficult. Apparently there was some crazy cucumber disease a few years back, and it's been hard for the farms to grow decent crops. Another reason may also be that pickling and canning is becoming a thing of the past, as people of my generation seem to be quite content just buying their goods at the grocery store. Sadly in this day and age, no one has the time to make their own food, and it really does feel like canning is becoming a lost art. I am determined to keep it going as I think it's important to get back to basics when you can, and really feel and appreciate the work that goes into everyday things, as well as support local farmers and businesses. I already am looking forward to apple picking this fall and making homemade apple sauce and pies! Yum!

We finally found a farm that had pickling cukes, though they warned us that people had been picking earlier that morning, and we might not have any luck. Thankfully our persistent rummaging talents (thanks to shopping at second hand stores) paid off. We were dirty, our hands sore and Muppet was dizzy from the constant bending and squatting I was doing, but we had cucumbers! We had to visit another farm to find dill (which is also hard to find), and managed to pick a few more cucumbers there as well. By the end of all that picking, my back really started to hurt and I couldn't wait to sit down and peel garlic. We stopped by the grocery store, got some pickling salt, garlic and vinegar and then we were off for a long evening of playing tetris with pickles and oven hot glass jars. We managed to get 20 jars done that night, and my mother did another 20 jars the next evening. I am so excited for Thanksgiving, it's crazy!

At the one farm, we were amazed to see so many different vegetables growing around us. They had a billion different kinds of peppers: red, green, black, yellow, hot, sweet...The list goes on and on, just like their fields. One field we couldn't pass up was full of beautiful tomato plants. We decided to might as well get a half bushel of tomatoes, as they simply smelled too intoxicating to leave behind. As we picked the tomatoes, my mom grabbed one and took a bite. It looked delicious! I then remembered that I happened to have a package of salt and pepper in my purse, so I also picked up a tomato, dusted it off on my shift, and sprinkled it with seasonings. I took a big bite and it just exploded! It was so fresh and tasted so...real. There is something about food that comes right out of the ground that just feels so right to me. I hope that one day I will be able to plant my own little garden so that my child will be able to enjoy all the wonders of nature right at home. 

After all that craziness, the back pain just intensified to the point that we went out to buy me a supportive maternity belt. I have never needed to buy a back belt before, so I wasn't sure what to look for, but the lovely girl at Cheeky Monkey steered me towards a product called the "BellySling". It not only helps ease back pain, but also helps reduce groin pain, hemorrhoids, and varicose veins while letting you feel like you can go about your daily activities without discomfort. It was designed by an 84 year old Canadian registered nurse who felt the need to design a supportive garment for pregnant women after working with children and mothers for years. I'm just starting to use it, so I'll let everyone know how it goes! *fingers crossed*

 http://www.cheekymonkey.ca/BellySling.htm

Update! I absolutely love my Bellysling! It has provided me with great support that makes working on my feet so much easier and less painful. I find my posture has improved, and the weight of my ever-growing tummy does not put as much stress on my back, which is great because I know I'll only be getting bigger! ;) I definitely recommend this belt to anyone who is looking for good, solid back and stomach support during their pregnancy. Also, the fact that this belt comes with a little hot/cold pack that inserts into the belt for added pampering is a huge plus! Thank you Bellysling! :D http://www.bellysling.com/

At 23 Weeks, Muppet weighs about the weight of a large mango. Loud noises outside my tummy are now becoming familiar to the baby which is good because Sawyer barks loudly. I've been playing music for the baby, as well as reading it Winnie the Pooh and have been encouraging my kitties to lay on top of my tummy while purring, as I know how comforting that sound can be. I've also been watching it kick and move around, as it is so active these days! I am even feeling it move while I walk around at work. It still seems the most active at night, and I have woken up to little jabs a few times around 1 or 2 am. It's not going to like it's 8:30pm bedtime when it's older. :) I've been craving pie and cake lately. In fact, I wanted cake so badly one night, Chris drove around until we found a place that had some (though I told him I'd be satisfied with a discounted birthday cake at the grocery store...he insisted I only needed one slice, not a whole cake).

I'm really starting to get antsy with not having things done around the house, as I must really be nesting now. I hate having unfinished projects, and I really want to have everything in order before the little one comes. I also want to do it now when I can still move around without bumping into everything. Oh well, things will come together! :)   

Oh, here is a little clip of Muppet moving about! My tummy, as you can see, has become very fuzzy. :)



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