What a week we had! We finally started our nursery renovations! Yay! Though, I have to admit that there was more work involved then I had initially anticipated. I'm the kind of person that once I start a project, I want it done the same day, which is very unrealistic sometimes. I guess when I look at a room, I see what I want, and just feel it should be easy to achieve, but of course, that is not the case. Painting was our first big task. I taped off all the baseboards and such around the room, then I painted the edges all around the room with Chris following behind, filling in the walls with a roller. There were moments of tenseness between us, as it's a small room and I think both of us were getting irritated with each other, but afterwards, the next morning, when we saw the results, it made the day before worth it.
Our next project was removing the baseboards, pulling out the carpet and removing all the nails and staples in the floor and baseboards. My handy dad came over to help with that project as my super lovely husband (who is talented in many other ways) isn't that much of a handyman. My father on the other-hand is a handyman extraordinaire! He brought all his tools and just went to town on that nursery! I helped of course, ending up with very blistered hands as I tried plying nails and staples from the wood. I wasn't able to find my work gloves, but I did find a left handed gardening glove, so I put that on...not sure if it helped or not, but I felt more professional! :) My dad is going to come back and help us with putting in the laminate flooring, as well as putting up the decorative panels and baseboards, so I'm sure he'll keep us busy! Thanks for all your help papa!
Here is some very rough footage of our renovation experience.
In the middle of these renovations, my mom and I went on a shopping trip to the US. We found so many cute and well priced things that it took all my self control not to go on a shopping spree! I absolutely love all the Carter's baby clothes! They had all their Hallowe'en and Thanksgiving outfits on sale, and I admit I was a little sad that Muppet wouldn't be able to wear any of them this year. But, now I can plan for next year! ;) I picked up some full panel maternity pants that were on sale, as well as some super sexy nursing bras... that sexy part was sarcastic, by the way. Then we went to the Olive Garden for all you can eat soup, salad and breadsticks...Mmmmm! I could eat there everyday! It was a long, but productive and fun day, but I sure was exhausted!
Then, out of nowhere, I got the most wonderful surprise! I was finishing up at work when my hubby came to pick me up. He seemed to be in a hurry, so I figured he had to meet with a client or something. I mentioned wanting to take a nap, as I was still so tired from my previous busy days, but he said I couldn't! He told me that I had to go home and pack my suitcase and that I only had half an hour to get ready, as he had planned a special surprise for our wedding anniversary! I was so excited...and a little nervous. I mean, what do I pack for a trip to the unknown? We dropped Sawyer off at my parents and then took off on this crazy adventure to who-knows-where!
Want to know what he had planned?! He booked us the most romantic getaway to Blue Mountain Resort in Collingwood in The Grand Georgian! It was absolutely beautiful! As we drove up to Blue Mountain, I saw signs for the Scenic Caves..which sound lovely, but not to a person who has to waddle everywhere. I prayed that I wouldn't have to go on a hike...that he had planned something else, but never did I imagine we would be staying at such a stunning resort! Even when we drove up to the entrance, I had to look at him and ask, "Are we actually staying here?!". It was so magical. The people are so friendly, the food is delicious (garlic mashed potatoes *drool*), the grounds and scenery are breathtaking and the village is just so magnificent! I now call it my Canadian Disney World.
Our room was what I've always dreamt of- with a kitchen, dining room, living room and of course, my favourite, a fireplace! We even had a lovely balcony that looked out to the forested mountain. I truly cried a lot on this trip. He also had booked a super great dinner for us which included steak, garlic mashed potatoes, ceasar salad with brownie cheesecake for dessert! Yum! I had no idea that my darling could be so spontaneous and romantic. :) I cannot wait to go back! I want to play shuffle board, make pottery, relax on the dock, paddle in a paddle boat and eat until I explode! I would not be opposed to living there either...in a cute Cape Cod style house in either yellow or sage green... ;) I am just so in love with Collingwood now! I'm pretty sure I've added a new "our place" to our special places list. It now accompanies Niagara-On-The-Lake, Disney World and Prince Edward Island. Thank you for the most wonderful anniversary honey! (Good luck topping it next year!) ;)
Here is a little tour of our room!
As of week 26, Muppet was the size of an english hothouse cucumber and weighs about 2 pounds! That's a mighty big baby! Apparently it now is able to react to touch and sound, so I often poke it to see if it kicks back! Surprisingly it sometimes does! It is now developing a sleep and active phase routine, which I am starting to recognize. It usually is active around 9am, 4pm, and super active around 10:30pm. Muppet is a fan of kicking my bladder, making me want to pee constantly, and now I think I can feel it's little hiccups which tickles a little bit! One thing I've noticed is that Muppet is a tad bit stubborn, as it never wants to dance around when I'm filming, but as soon as I put the camera away, it goes nuts! I tried getting it to dance to the oldies the other day, I mean, who can stand still when Mony Mony is on? I can tell you who. It's Muppet. Crazy baby! :)
I'm starting to feel the weight of the baby a bit, and it's starting to throw off my balance and make me a little tired. It's hard to get out of the car or bed sometimes as I can't use my stomach muscles anymore, so often I rock back and forth to get some momentum and then throw myself forward. I also notice that I grunt quite a bit when trying to get up. I think I need a scooter! ;) The baby also seems to be sitting low sometimes, as I feel a lot of pressure in places I would rather there not be pressure. *sigh*
One thing I'm craving like mad right now is Thanksgiving Dinner. I constantly dream of hot turkey sandwiches, mashed potatoes and stuffing...and let's not forget those yummy dill pickles! Mmmm! I cannot wait for Thanksgiving, and I'm so glad I get to celebrate it twice! ;) (One meal for me, one for the baby!).
p.s. Happy 2nd Anniversary honey! I love you so much! I can't wait until Muppet can share the love our little family has for each other. You truly are my best friend and I love you. <3
According to my iPhone app, Muppet should arrive in about 99 days, or 14 weeks! That is nuts! I feel unprepared! I feel I must start shopping! I feel I must start decorating!!...I feel like I may be losing my mind slowly. :) Knowing the baby is coming really does send one into a bit of a nesting panic. If I were a forest animal, I'd start burying acorns in preparation, or gathering twigs and pieces of string. Instead, I get out cleaning supplies and start scrubbing cabinets and toilets. At least Chris doesn't complain! :)
My tummy is becoming the center of my world now, as everything seems to revolve around it. People now freely comment on it without worrying about offending me, it causes me to get stuck in bean bag chairs at work, it provides comfort to my nephew who absent-mindfully rubs it while we play games on my iPhone, it causes me to waddle when I walk, crave cake and pie all day long, and forces me to go out and buy maternity pants with the FULL panel...*sigh*. It feels so huge already that I can't even imagine how much bigger it will get in the months ahead!
As of week 25, Muppet is about the size of a rutabaga. It weighs roughly between 1.5 and 2 pounds. Right now Muppet is putting on it's cute baby fat which helps plump out those wrinkles and will eventually cause ladies to stop and pinch it's little cheeks or legs. Apparently it's eyes are beginning to open now (though there isn't much to see), but the pigment still isn't developed unlike Muppet's hair which now is beginning to show colour and texture! Muppet's brain is also starting to work overtime, allowing Muppet to react to noises now by increases it's pulse rate, or it's activity. That may be why Muppet is most active when I'm watching television! I have noticed the baby tends to be the most active now around 10:30pm when I'm trying to sleep, and it's hard to ignore the little thumps as I know I will miss them when they are gone! I'm trying to pay attention to each little jab so I can hold onto the memory, because world, I am a sap. :) The other day while grocery shopping, I got a sharp punch to the kidneys which hurt like heck and then suddenly made me have to pee so badly! I yelped in surprise, scaring an elderly man who must have thought I was going into labour. *sigh* These are the moments I'm going to miss! ;)
The one thing I'm not going to miss is this heartburn that has gotten out of control! Because Muppet is growing so well, my insides are all squished together, which makes heartburn a sure bet! I'm taking tums to try to conteract it, but they only do so much. I just need to learn to eat smaller meals, and eat slowly...which is basically impossible for me. :)
In this picture, I am telling Sawyer to be patient for his new little brother or sister. ;)
Here is a photo of the cats enjoying Muppet's bassinet. Nobi has called dibs on it, and isn't afraid to let Muppet know how he feels about the baby coming and taking it from him. :)
Here we are, at 22 weeks and man am I tired! I have been having a really difficult time sleeping lately! I either can't fall asleep because of little annoyances (blanket too heavy, clothes too scratchy, sheets too wrinkled, moon too bright, room too dark etc.) or I have mini wake ups, where I wake up every couple hours. Often I feel exhausted because my dreams have been quite bizarre, and I can't turn them off! I cannot seem to find any peace or rest in that crazy mind of mine. I'm thinking my mind is helping my body prepare for the lack of sleep that will be coming my way, even though I personally think it should let me catch as many zzz's as I can now. But, how can I argue with myself? Don't I know I'm always right? ;)
Little Muppet is either going to be in Riverdance when it grows up, or will be an Olympic marathon runner, as it is moving non stop now. Any time I sit down, I can feel it punching and kicking away. I also find it funny that anytime I try to show someone, it decides to stop. It has it's father's sense of humour. :) The other day it was making my tummy jump on the left side (that is the side I feel it most on) and so I called Chris in to see it. He came over and leaned over my left side with his head down close to my tummy, hoping to catch a glimpse of the tummy ripples. Of course Muppet stopped at that moment. Chris decided to encourage it by saying in a loud, deep voice, "Hello baby!" Suddenly, on the left side, my tummy punched out, right at Chris. I think he scared the poor child!
I've started to get a few faint stretch marks on my hips...oh the memories of puberty. It kind of feels like I'm reliving my teenage years all over again. Acne, stretch marks, mood swings, sudden fat deposits in places that didn't have any before...heck, I'm even getting furrier! My tummy looks like a peach with all that fuzz (James and the GIANT peach)! Who knew you could go through the joys of puberty more than once in a lifetime!
At 22 weeks, Muppet is about the size of a papaya, or the length of a spaghetti squash and weighs around 1 pound! That's like a bag of sugar (but you know the baby is even sweeter!) ;) If you were to see Muppet at this stage, it's eyelashes, hair and eyebrows would be white, as pigment still hasn't developed. *Oh, it's kicking...It knows I'm talking about it.* At this stage, Little Muppet is also learning how to use it's hands and the sense of touch. With this new sense, it probably touches it's face and grabs it's umbilical cord. It also can hear even more clearly, so we need to make sure we're reading it a story every night.
One thing Little Muppet will be hearing a lot of is my Anne Murray CD 'There's A Hippo In My Tub'. I grew up listening to her when I was small (though my version was on a cassette) and knew it would be a staple in Muppet's childhood too. It has so many of my favourites on it! Some classics include: Inch Worm, Teddy Bear's Picnic, You Are My Sunshine and of course, Animal Crackers. When I heard Anne Murray was coming to town, I knew I had to get a copy of the CD signed and I am so happy I did! She even inscribed it with, "To Little Muppet" for me! :) Funnily enough, this was all done before I had even tried getting pregnant. I just knew one day I hopefully would be lucky enough to be and that her wonderful songs would be there through it all.
Belly Watch!
It's here and it's bigger than ever! ;) It keeps on growing and now it's starting to crave something I thought it never would...CANDY! I am a salt person, I've always been a salt person. My Hallowe'en candy always lasted me until the next Hallowe'en because, well...I didn't really want to eat it. The chips would be gone in seconds, but candy? I'd trade it for a chunk of bread with a hunk of cheese any day! Now? All I want is sour, sweet goodness! Give me chocolate and cherry blasters and we'll be best friends for life! Who is this monster I've become? Truly I am losing my identity to this growing belly! :) I'm trying to stay good though, and only letting myself have a few sweets once and awhile. I try to keep that evil, sugar craving voice quiet with snacks that have natural sugars like berries and juice. We shall see how long this craving lasts for though...Oh, how I long for the days of pump cheese... ;)
I cannot believe we have already passed the 20 week mark! We are half way to the finish line! Time is passing so quickly, it's unbelievable! I almost want to stop time just so I can keep enjoying being pregnant right now, as it's something I've come to enjoy immensely. Technically we are on our 21 week, but I'm back tracking as I'm late once again.
Things are really going well right now. I have been feeling great, eating like a champion and feeling super positive about things in general. I don't think I've ever felt better about myself than I do right now to be honest. I'm pretty sure this is what my body was designed for. :)
One thing we've been struggling with is getting the nursery organized, as we don't have much room in our house and we've been trying to figure out how to merge our furniture together. Sadly, poor Chris is going to have to share his office with me, as there is no where else to put my things! And what do we do with our futon?! I love that thing! *sigh*. We also have to find space for our treadmill, as I will need that later this winter... *bigger sigh*. In other nursery news, we finally picked a paint colour! It's called 'Pooh Bear Yellow'. It's nice and soft and neutral, so I think it will look great! We are thinking of painting this week sometime, if we ever move the furniture out of the room. ;) The theme we are going with is Classic Pooh (or as I call it, shirtless Pooh). We are going with light wood, soft pale yellow, white and cream mostly and accenting the room with bumble bees. I have already been getting little treasures from family that they have collected along our pregnancy, so I'm super excited to have the nursery done so we can display them!
My friend Bonnie has recently started her own business, "Only One", on Etsy selling the most adorable hand-knitted stuffies! She has made so many cute toys, from monkeys, owls, birdies and bears to giraffes and even nursery mobiles! I am lucky enough to have received Mervin the Giraffe (who is super awesome), but now am even luckier as I am getting my own bumble bee mobile! :D I can't wait to put it up in the nursery! You can buy her unique critters for yourself or someone you love at http://www.etsy.com/shop/bgordon2.
As of week 20 (half way point!), Muppet was the length of a large banana, about 10 inches from head to heel. At this stage, Muppet is swallowing more and more each day, keeping it's digestive system on it's toes. :) I have also been feeling Little Muppet moving around so much lately, especially in the evening, around 9:30pm. You can actually see it flutter against my stomach if you look really closely. I think it likes the sound of the television, because it seems to stop moving when I mute the t.v. and then dance around when I turn it back up. I also seem to notice it move around when I sit at my computer. I know I'm going to miss those little moments we share.
As of this week (21 weeks), Muppet weighs 3/4 of a pound and is the length of a large carrot! Which reminds me of how when I was small, I remember going to our family's garden and digging up fresh carrots from the ground and eating them without even washing them off first. The taste of dirt really added to the whole experience I think! ;) I also would walk around, annoying everyone, by constantly saying, "Ehhhh, what's up doc?" :) At week 21, Muppet's eyebrows and eyelids are present and I should soon start feeling it's kicks and punches a little more... intensely.
Belly Bump! I am so pregnant! Look at that tummy! ;) Our dog Sawyer seems to think it's funny. I wonder how he'll be with a new little brother or sister. He'll probably try sitting on it at first, as he loves sitting on people (he thinks he's a lap dog), but I think Muppet and him will become best buds. :)
Since I just posted my 15 weeks the other day, not much has changed, though I have discovered the annoyance of heartburn. Oh man! I have never been one to get heartburn, so when I heard people complain about it, I just thought they were overreacting. Well, I retract that stance and can now sympathize as I am experiencing bad heartburn everyday. No matter what I eat, no matter how bland, it prevails! I have read that this is very common for some women, and that eventually, it too shall pass, so I'll just chug back carton after carton of milk and wait.
Another change is that I am slowly getting into maternity clothing! I have broken down and actually started wearing some maternity jeans, as many pairs of mine are now starting to dig into my ever-growing gut, which is a little uncomfortable. I'm not going to lie...they are actually quite lovely. They may not look amazing, but my tummy is really loving it. I can eat food and let my belly expand without worrying that I am cutting off circulation to Little Muppet... which means I'll probably start growing as big as a house soon. ;)
At week 16, Little Muppet is about the size of a turnip! It is starting to accumulate some baby fat, which will continue through the pregnancy. I can't wait to see those chubby little legs! Another exciting thing is that the baby is now starting to listen to the world around it! It is able to hear us talking, the dog barking, and my husband... "singing". ;) I hope it will become accustomed to the sound of our dog barking, as this is a habit he's gotten into lately and we just can't seem to break it. I have read that if they hear barking often enough, they will be able to sleep right through any doggy outbursts. So fingers crossed everyone!
Now that we are at week 16, I read that I may soon be able to feel my little one fluttering around. Well, yesterday I think I just may have! I was lying down in bed after a shower, massaging my belly when suddenly I felt this light popping feeling. I looked down at my tummy and saw a small ripple go across the left side of my belly, right by my belly button! It was really freaky! (And no, it wasn't gas!) I'm thinking that maybe the baby was doing a little u-turn in my belly! :D
Now I'd like to do a little shout out to my husband. I have always known that I am the luckiest girl alive to have my best friend as my husband, but now that I am pregnant, I am realizing just how lucky I truly am. Over the past few months, he has grown into an even more loving and supportive partner then I could have ever dreamed of. He works so hard to support our little family, and yet thinks of me in the middle of it all. The other day, he took our dog Sawyer out for his walk while I had my shower. I heard him call my name, so I pulled back the shower curtain to see what he wanted, and there he stood with a little bouquet of wildflowers he had picked on his walk for me. Just that simple little action of love and thoughtfulness shows me how much he loves and appreciates me, and really reveals how wonderful he'll be as a father. He's always willing to listen, to settle my overactive mind, to calm my nerves, to make me laugh (like no one else can), to be silly with me, to share and most importantly, to love me and our little family unconditionally. Thank you so much hon... I love you lots! XO
We went for our first ultrasound the other day and I can't even begin to share how amazing that experience was!
Being a first time mom, I obviously over-react to every little twinge and cramp I feel. Somedays I even wondered if I was still pregnant, I mean, when you can't see something, you start to wonder if it's even there! So going in for my ultrasound was just what the doctored ordered...literally. :)
I was instructed to drink a whole bunch of water, how much I am not really sure, but I decided that 2 bottles of water should do it. I started drinking my first bottle about a half hour before we were to leave for the hospital, which of course resulted in me needing to pee right before we went out the door. I decided to quickly top off my second bottle to make up for the water I ...uh...wasted. We got in the car, and I pulled out my second bottle and started to drink. As soon as we pulled into the parking lot at the hospital, I exclaimed to my husband, "I gotta pee!!" We checked in, and then I ran to the bathroom...*sigh* Another wasted bottle of water. I then filled up my bottle and as I filled out my paperwork, I chugged that water down like it was going out of style but on sale for 75% off. (Who can resist a deal like that?) ;)
The sonographer approached me and asked, "Do you have a full bladder?", to which I responded, "...I did...But I had to pee super bad!" Apparently she felt I was 'hydrated' enough anyways, so it was all good. :)
My husband wasn't able to go into the room with me at first, as the sonographer wanted to do all the measurements and stuff before sharing with us, so I waited until he was invited back into the room to hear whatever news she had for us. I have never been so nervous in my life! At one point, I was like, "Can she not find the baby?!" Thankfully, that was not the case. She called Chris into the room, and then showed us the most magical thing we have ever seen, our little baby! When it first came onto the screen, both of happily exclaimed, "It's a baby!" It was so adorable...yes, I am going to be one of those mothers. It was moving around, kicking it's little legs, and at one point, it's arm and hand were so clear we could count the fingers! Watching it's little heartbeat was also amazing. It fluttered around in it's chest like a little bird's. I kept apologizing to it as I laughed, as it made it jump around in my belly. I still can't believe that a little person is kicking up a storm inside me and I can't even feel it! It's so crazy, but having the ultrasound really made everything feel real for the first time. Seeing Chris' face light up as soon as he saw his Little Muppet on the screen is something I will carry with me forever.
Little Muppet is 11 weeks 6 days and is about the size of a large plum now. It is almost fully formed. Soon it's hands will form into little fists, and one day I am sure that I will feel them flailing around in my tummy. Right now, it's taking advantage of all the room I've got, and is preforming either water ballet, or some form of karate, as it is kicking and squirming all around.
Here is my belly at 11 weeks 6 days. I am definitely starting to show, though I just look like I let myself go instead of looking pregnant. I find my tummy hangs over my pants, and we all know how sexy that can be. People probably think I'm a frequent diner at McDonalds, which is totally the opposite, as I find my hunger has diminished. This little baby doesn't want me to eat, though I have to so I can push through my nausea. :P I go about my days wearing baggier shirts and yoga pants. They hide the flab and are very comfortable.
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According to my iPhone app, Muppet should arrive in about 99 days, or 14 weeks! That is nuts! I feel unprepared! I feel I must start shopping! I feel I must start decorating!!...I feel like I may be losing my mind slowly. :) Knowing the baby is coming really does send one into a bit of a nesting panic. If I were a forest animal, I'd start burying acorns in preparation, or gathering twigs and pieces of string. Instead, I get out cleaning supplies and start scrubbing cabinets and toilets. At least Chris doesn't complain! :)
My friend Bonnie has recently started her own business, "Only One", on Etsy selling the most adorable hand-knitted stuffies! She has made so many cute toys, from monkeys, owls, birdies and bears to giraffes and even nursery mobiles! I am lucky enough to have received Mervin the Giraffe (who is super awesome), but now am even luckier as I am getting my own bumble bee mobile! :D I can't wait to put it up in the nursery! You can buy her unique critters for yourself or someone you love at http://www.etsy.com/shop/bgordon2.
As of week 20 (half way point!), Muppet was the length of a large banana, about 10 inches from head to heel. At this stage, Muppet is swallowing more and more each day, keeping it's digestive system on it's toes. :) I have also been feeling Little Muppet moving around so much lately, especially in the evening, around 9:30pm. You can actually see it flutter against my stomach if you look really closely. I think it likes the sound of the television, because it seems to stop moving when I mute the t.v. and then dance around when I turn it back up. I also seem to notice it move around when I sit at my computer. I know I'm going to miss those little moments we share.
As of this week (21 weeks), Muppet weighs 3/4 of a pound and is the length of a large carrot! Which reminds me of how when I was small, I remember going to our family's garden and digging up fresh carrots from the ground and eating them without even washing them off first. The taste of dirt really added to the whole experience I think! ;) I also would walk around, annoying everyone, by constantly saying, "Ehhhh, what's up doc?" :) At week 21, Muppet's eyebrows and eyelids are present and I should soon start feeling it's kicks and punches a little more... intensely.
Belly Bump! I am so pregnant! Look at that tummy! ;) Our dog Sawyer seems to think it's funny. I wonder how he'll be with a new little brother or sister. He'll probably try sitting on it at first, as he loves sitting on people (he thinks he's a lap dog), but I think Muppet and him will become best buds. :) 
